I Can Show You The World
by Hyperteenager24
Summary: Tricked into going into a Cave of Wonders, Clint can't believe his luck when he finds a genie. A Genie who could help him win the heart of a blind prince. All he needs to do is avoid catching the attention of two evil advisors
1. Chapter 1

Our tale starts on a dark night, where a dark man waits, with a dark purpose.

"You are late." Stick hissed at the young man, who rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever man."

"You have it then?"

The man looked almost offended, eyes rolling again as he pulled half of a golden circle out of his pocket, "I had to slit a few throats to get this."

As Stick held out his hand for it, the young man took one step back and smirked, "Ah, ah, ah… the payment."

Suddenly, a large hand grabbed the young man's shoulder, preventing him from moving, before snatching the golden half from his fingers. It was thrown over to Stick, who caught it inches from his face. "Relax…" the blind man sneered, pulling the other half out of his pocket, "… you'll get what's coming to you."

As soon as he put the two halves together, the circle shifted into some sort of bird and zipped off into the distance.

"Follow the trail!" Stick hissed, climbing into a car, with the large man already sitting at the wheel, the young man climbing into the back seat. They sped through the streets after the golden trail, until they reached the outskirts of the city, near the docks, in an abandoned warehouse lot.

The golden bird suddenly dived down, cracking straight through the concrete, the cracks spreading out. Fisk and the young man stumbled back in alarm, but Stick remained completely still, as a lion's head emerged from the stone concrete.

"Finally." He hissed, "After years of Searching, I've finally found it. The Cave of Wonders."

Fisk grabbed the young man before he could escape and pushed him forwards.

"Now remember…" Stick hissed, "… Bring me the lamp! The rest of the treasure is yours but get me that lamp!"

Slowly, the young man headed over to the giant lion head, missing the conversation going on behind him.

"Where did you dig this one up?" Fisk asked, a sneer on his face.

Stick remained silent, listening as the young man crept up to the lion's mouth, his heartbeat racing. When the young man went to step inside, the lion growled and rumbled, and the young man's heart rate sped up to a point where he sounded like he was having a heart attack.

"WHO DARES DISTURBS MY SLUMBER?!"

"J-J-Jimmy!"

"KNOW THIS. ONLY ONE MAY ENTER HERE. ONE WHOSE WORTH LIES FAR WITHIN. A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH."

The young man hesitated, and Stick's grip tightened on his staff.

"Well? Go on then!"

Jimmy did as he was told… but as soon as he placed his foot on the first step, the lion roared and the mouth closed down on the young man, the concrete covering and suffocating him, making it look like nothing was ever there.

"FIND THE DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH!"

"NO!" Stick cried out in anger

Fisk grabbed the two golden halves that were lying on the concrete. "So, what's the plan now?" He asked, resisting the urge to gloat about how he 'told him so.'

"Isn't it obvious? We find this diamond in the rough."

…..

"THIEF! THIEF!"

Clint raced over the rooftops, grip fumbling on the loaf of bread that he managed to pinch for breakfast.

"WE'LL GET YOU THIS TIME HAWKEYE!"

"All this for a bit of bread." Clint rolled his eyes, jumping onto a washing line and swinging down to the ground, unintentionally covering himself in slightly damp clothing.

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY SO EASILY!" An officer yelled from the rooftops, prompting Clint to beam up at him, raising the bread, almost in a toast.

"You think that was easy?"

Hearing the giggles of some local housewives, and the yell for the police to split up and find him, Clint wrapped himself in the clothing and sauntered over to the women. "Morning ladies, lovely day isn't it?"

"Starting a little early, aren't we Clint?" One of the women wagged her finger in a teasing manner.

"Trouble? Ha! You're only in trouble if you get caught!"

Less than a second late, his shoulder was grabbed, and he was spun around.

"Gotcha!"

"I'm in trouble!"

Other officers had gun aimed directly at his head as a precaution, stopping Clint from reaching for any useful projectile… and then the officers' fell to the ground, suddenly unconscious and twitching.

"Excellent timing Nat!" Clint beamed at the red-head who joined him, her Widow bites still glowing.

"I'm always cleaning up your messes." She sighed, although the smile on her face was fond.

"You know you love me." Clint then clapped his hands together, "Right, now for Main Street."

"I knew you'd forget."

Turning around, Clint frowned in confusion, "Huh?"

"Main Street…. We can't go to Main Street because of the parade, remember?"

"…"

"The Princess? Going to see the Prince?"

When it was clear that Clint didn't remember, she rolled her eyes. "Come on."

As they got closer and closer to Main Street, something moved, catching Clint's eye out of his peripheral, prompting him to turn around and peer into the alleyway to his right.

Children… streets rats as they were commonly referred to. Children who ran away from their homes or orphanages and were forced to scavenge for food on the streets. These two were younger than most however, only about eight…. And Clint knew that he had a soft spot for cases like this.

Reaching into his pocket, Clint kneeled in front of them, a soft smile on his face as he held out the money, "Here…. For food and stuff."

When the oldest gently took the money, Clint got to his feet and continued to follow Nat to Main Street, where a large crowd was gathering, all eyes on the gorgeous woman waving from an elegant looking horse.

It was a little old-fashioned, but who was Clint to judge.

He shook his head at the show of riches…. He wouldn't turn it down if it were offered but rubbing it in someone's face was just obnoxious.

And then the children ran out into the road.

The horse reared back in alarm as the assistants holding the horse pulled it to a stop, with the princess clinging on.

"Miserable little brats!" she sneered from her saddle, removing a whip from the side of the saddle, "Move!"

It was just a threat, but that was enough for Clint. He darted forwards and grabbed the whip, throwing it to one side as he moved to stand in front of the children. "You know…" he smirked, "… with all that money, you'd think you'd be able to afford some manners!"

One of her guards grabbed him, throwing him to the ground, straight into a mud puddle, where one of his hearing aids fell out.

Nat rushed over, but Clint wasn't done.

"Hey look Nat! It's not often you see a horse with two asses!"

Offended was a good look on the Princess's face.

"You are a worthless street rat!" She hissed at Clint, "You were born a street rat, and you will die a street rat, with only your fleas to mourn you!"

The large gates shut behind her, and the crowd dispersed, with many not even sparing a second glance at the fallen Clint.

"Here." Nat handed him the muddy hearing aid, "I stopped one of the guards from stomping on it."

"Thanks." Clint pushed himself to his feet, scowling at the mud ripping off him, "Let's get out of here."

Together, they made their way back to their shared flat…. Their flat they were squatting in, but their flat nonetheless. It was dark and sparse, but the view more than made up for it.

Clint didn't care what everyone else said. He liked his life, and he wouldn't do a thing to change it.

No matter what.


	2. Chapter 2

"I've never been so insulted in my life!" Princess Elektra growled, storming out of the palace, ignoring how King Jonathan 'Jack' Murdock, tried to stop her.

"Princess? What happened? You can't be leaving already!"

"Good luck marrying that freak off!"

As the door slammed shut behind her, King Battlin' Jack groaned and spun around, heading straight to the gardens, where he knew his son was likely waiting.

"Matthew! Matthew!" He strode into the gardens, spotting Steve first.

"What happened?!" he asked the Captain of the Guards, his son's personal bodyguard, "Why did- "

"-Foggy took a dislike to her." Steve sighed, "You know how Foggy gets."

A big bouncy Labrador, Foggy was the friendliest dog going… until he thought you were a threat to Matty. Then he turned into a feral beast.

"Confound it Foggy!" Jack growled at the dog, who was panting happily, "What did he do exactly Rogers?"

"Snapped at her mostly… a few growls. He didn't touch her though." The Captain seemed very keen to defend the dog.

"That doesn't matter!"

"Foggy was just playing with her." Matt finally spoke up, his eyes turned up to the sky, "It's not his fault that Elektra was so… sensitive."

Silence.

"I know you can probably sense this…" King Jack growled, "… but I am not very happy about this Matthew."

"… I know."

"Matty, you've got to stop rejecting every Princess that comes to visit. The law says you must be engaged to a Princess, or Prince, before your next birthday!"

"The law is wrong."

"Just because you studied law, it doesn't mean you know everything about it! You've only got three days left!"

It was easy to tell that Matt was rolling his eyes behind his ruby red glasses, "Dad, when I do marry, I want it to be for love."

"Matty…" Jack placed a hand on his son's shoulders, "… it's not just this law you know. I-I'm not going to be around forever you know and, I just want to make sure you're happy and settled down. Foggy and Steve are fine, but… not really options for marriage. No offense Captain."

Steve didn't say a word. Nobody noticed how his right hand clenched, a golden ring glimmering in the sunlight.

"Please try to understand Dad." Matt ran his hands through the water, "I've not done anything on my own since the accident! It's been years since I've set foot outside these walls! And I've never had any real friends!"

Both Foggy and Steve turned to Matty, offended looks on their faces.

"Except for you two."

"Matthew…" Jack sighed, "… You're a Prince and- "

"- maybe I don't want to be a Prince!" Before his Father could react, Matt pushed himself to his feet and stormed off, stick tapping angrily against the ground.

The King growled in frustration, storming back towards the palace, in the opposite direction to his son. "God save you from stubborn children!" he groaned at Steve, before continuing on his way.

He stormed into the throne room, "STICK! FISK!" he called out, "STICK! FISK!"

"Yes, Your Highness?"

Not flinching at the sudden appearance of his most trusted advisors, Jack sighed in relief. "I need your help. Matthew refuses to choose a bride, and I am absolutely at my wits end. I don't remember being nearly as picky when I chose…" he trailed off, throat closing off at the memory of the late queen.

"Well… perhaps we can help Your Highness." Stick smirked.

"If anyone can, it's you two."

"But it would require the use of a mystic blue diamond."

The King frowned, fingers fiddling with the ring on his finger.

His wife had given him this ring and he said as much to the pair of advisors.

"It's necessary to find the prince a worthy partner… don't worry. Everything will be fine."

From there, everything went blank for the King.

…..

"Everything… will… be… fine."

"And the diamond?"

"Here Stick…" The King slowly removed the ring, "… Whatever you need is… fine."

"You are most gracious Your Majesty!" Fisk snatched the ring out of Jack's hands, before quickly bowing and leaving the room, closely followed by Stick.

"We need that lamp…" Fisk sighed, "… if I have to listen to that idiot anymore, I'll- "

"- Patience Fisk." Stick scolded, hands easily finding a book that enabled him access to his own secret chamber, hidden within the palace, "Soon you will be King, not that half-witted twit."

"And then I get to have a little revenge?"

"Of course. I wouldn't dream of depriving you of a little revenge."

…

"You know, this dog could do with losing a little weight!" Steve grunted as he hoisted the Labrador up to Matt, who was seated on top of the palace walls, "Are you really sure about this? It's not you who'll get into trouble."

"Then come with me?"

Foggy was finally up next to Matt, panting heavily as Steve groaned in frustration.

"I'll… I'll try and buy you some time. But you know that your Father will send me after you."

"Then I'll just have to hide as best I can." Matt smirked, before sliding down the other side of the wall, dropping down outside the palace walls, just as the sun was starting to rise.

And then Foggy followed him down.

"AH! Foggy!"

….

"THIEF! THEIF!"

Clint smirked as the officers raced past his hiding place, making sure they were fully out of sight before stepping out into the light.

"You got it Nat?"

Nat slowly emerged from her own hiding place, clutching some food in her hands. "Do you even have to ask?"

Together, they rested against wall and tucked into the food…. Until movement caught Clint's eye.

Woah.

Clint found himself entranced by the sight of a young man, wearing gorgeous red glasses, a bouncy dog at his side.

He was perfect.

"Clint? Earth to Clint? Hello? CLINT!"

Clint didn't tear his eyes away from the young man, watching as the man moved through the crowds.

"I'll… be right back." He muttered, pushing himself to his feet, ignoring Nat's curious looks. Meanwhile, the man had run into a spot of bother.

"I didn't mean to bump into you." The man was apologising to one of the street vendors, one hand clutching a white stick, and the other clinging onto his now-growling dog, "I was just- "

"- thief!" The vendor snarled, "Don't think that I don't know all your little tricks!"

"I'm not a- "

"- Come on Johnny!" Clint interrupted, pressing on some rather vital nerves in the wrist so that he released the poor man, "You're getting paranoid in your old age!"

"He stole from me!"

"How?" Clint smirked, gesturing at the white cane until the street vendors grasped at what he was implying.

The man just grunted, glaring at Clint and making his way back to his stall.

"Come on…" Clint slowly led the man away from the area, to somewhere quieter, "… Sorry about that, but you don't seem like the type to fake being blind to rob someone."

"I-I- "

"- Yeah I didn't think so."

….

"With all due respect…" Fisk called out from the lever, turning it as fast and hard as he could, watching a cloud of red smoke building above him, "… wouldn't it be easier to wait for a real storm?"

"Just push." Carefully, Stick placed the mystic blue diamond in a specialist device.

Fisk rolled his eyes, but continued as lightning shot through the blue diamond and into the sand below, "Dark sands of time…" Stick hissed, "… reveal to us, the one who can enter the cave."

The sand swirled around, eventually forming a picture of a muscular blonde-man, who was helping a familiar prince and dog up some stairs.

"Fisk. What do you see?"

"Your diamond in the rough… and the prince."

Stick looked stunned at this for a few moments, before a small smile spread across his face. "Well, I think we should have the local constabulary extend an invitation to this young man."

…

"We're almost there…" Clint beamed, leading the blind man over the rooftops (a good way to stay away from the police really), "… not long."

"Is all this really necessary?"

As the dog bounded around his ankles, Clint shrugged, "Probably not… I've not seen you around before. New?"

The man winced slightly, nervously adjusting his glasses, "You could say that."

"Yeah, I thought so. You're pretty noticeable."

The man flushed at this, a small smile on his face as he was helped onto a fire balcony and climbed to another rooftop.

"Okay, it's just through here… duck slightly here." Gently, Clint led the young man and his dog down a hatch in the roof, onto a pile of blankets below.

Landing with a soft thud, the young man tilted his head to the side.

"Assume everything in tidy and it's actually a mansion." Clint called down to him.

"I'm sure it's perfect."

Clint shrugged, "Yeah, it's not bad. We get to come and go as we please…. Decent view I suppose."

It was actually fantastic. A gorgeous view of the city, including the palace…. But the man probably wouldn't appreciate it.

"I imagine you can see the palace from here?"

Okay… maybe he might?

"It's okay." Clint tried to play it off, "Looks nice in the sunrise, but it's just an eyesore apart from that."

Silence.

"I do wonder what it's like to live there though… to have servants, posh men who dress you- "

"- Valets." The other man interrupted, "As well as people telling you where to go, how to dress."

"Sounds better than here. You're always scraping for food and running away from the cops."

"You're not free to make your own choices."

"Sometimes you feel so… trapped." "Trapped."

Clint glanced over at the other man after realising that they spoke at the same time, before shaking his head and gently handing him an apple, "So… where'd you come from before?"

"It doesn't matter… I ran away and I am not going back"

"Really? Why?"

"… My Dad's forcing me to get married."

"That's… terrible."

There was a shuffling from the doorway, and Clint glanced over, to see Nat glaring at the pair of them.

Ooops. He did kind of leave her behind.

"… Who's there?" The other man asked, as his dog bounded away from him and started to circle Nat in excitement.

"Nat… my best friend. We can trust her." Clint took a seat right next to the man, "Just like you can trust me."

"Hmmm." The man smirked, leaning a little closer to Clint, "That's sweet of you to say so."

Seconds before their lips could touch, the proper entrance to the apartment slammed open, to reveal several armed officers.

"There you are!" one of them bellowed as the pair leapt to their feet.

"They're after me!" "They're after me!"

They both turned to each other in confusion.

"They're after you?" "They're after you?"

As the officers stormed closer, Clint raced to the window and the young man backed away, his dog growling by his feet, "Dad must have sent them after me!"

"Do you trust me? No messing around now."

"What?"

"Do you trust me?!"

As Clint took his hand, the young man nodded silently.

"Good enough!" Clint tugged on the other man's hand, pulling him towards the open window, "Now jump!"

The pair leapt out of the window, heading straight for a large, open dumpster down below. It was a painful landing, especially when the dog landed on top of them, but they didn't linger on that, clambering out of the dumpster and making a run for it…. Straight into another officer.

"What bad luck…" the officer sneered, grabbing Clint by his collar and pulling him close, "… anything to say Bar-ARGH!"

Clint headbutted the officer in the face, breaking the man's nose and wrenching himself free. Once free, he grabbed the other man's hand and tugged on it. "RUN!"

They tried to run, however, any exits were soon blocked by more police.

"Shit…" Clint grunted, "… these guys suddenly got organised!"

As Clint was grabbed and his hands forced behind his back, the lead officer smirked at him through the blood. "Finally… it's the cells for you Barton."

"Geroff me!"

The young man went on the attack, striking the leader in the side and then in the face with surprising precision. "Get off of him!"

Another officer rushed forwards, reaching out to grab the young man just as the lead officer pushed him to the ground. "Hey look! It's the case of the deaf leading the bli- ARGH!"

As the dog lunged at the officer, the blind man scrambled to his feet, "Unhand him, by order of the Crown Prince!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Unhand him, by order of the Crown Prince!"

The officer hesitated for a few moments, before clearly recognising the blind man and falling to his knees, "Prince Matthew!"

As the other officers forced Clint to his knees, he could only stare at the blind man.

"The… Prince?"

"What are you doing outside the palace?!" The head officer questioned, before turning back to sneer at Clint, "And with the likes of this… street rat?!"

"That's none of your concern! Do as I command! Release him!"

The tone was sufficiently commanding, and the officer seemed cowed by it as he winced, "I-I would Your Highness, but my orders come from Lord Fisk. You'll have to take it up with him."

As Clint was dragged away, he saw the Prince cross his arms, clearly displeased with the situation.

Honestly, Clint felt a bit sorry for this Lord Fisk.

…..

Matt felt like he was going to explode, knuckles white as he clenched his stick, storming through the halls and listening out for Fisk and Stick.

And then he heard the familiar heartbeat in the next room over.

"Lord Fisk!"

Fisk's heartbeat sped up and there was a brief pause, where Matt assumed he was bowing…. At least he hoped so.

"Prince Matthew. How can we serve you today?"

"Earlier today, a man was dragged from his home and arrested, on YOUR orders! I demand an explanation!"

"Your Father has given us the task of keeping peace in Central City… that man was a criminal."

Matt knew this, but continued to scowl, "What were his crimes exactly?"

"Why, kidnapping the prince of course!"

"He didn't kidnap me, I ran away!"

"Well this is embarrassing…"

Stick didn't sound surprised at all, and neither of their heartbeats sped up even slightly.

"… if only we'd known."

Matt rolled his eyes behind his glasses, "What are you talking about?"

Sighing, Fisk answered, "The man's sentence had already been carried out."

"… What sentence."

"Death by lethal injection."

Though his glasses hid it, tears started to well up in Matt's eyes at the answer, as he took a step back, shaking his head in disbelief.

"My deepest apologies Your Highness…" Fisk reached out, placing a hand on Matt's shoulder, ignoring his flinch, "… Maybe- "

The anger building up again, Matt used his stick to push Fisk away from him, hoping that the simple action was enough to convey his feelings about the situation.

Storming away, Matt waited until he was well out of their hearing range, before letting the tears fall.

…..

Clint winced as he tugged violently at the shackles that kept him chained to the wall, eventually wearing himself out, leaning heavily against the wall.

"The Prince…" He sighed, "… I can't believe it. I must have sounded so stupid!"

"Clint?"

Clint glanced up at the barred window, beaming at the sight of Natasha peering down at him, a sly smirk on her face.

"I knew there was a reason I chose you to be my best friend."

Natasha just rolled her eyes, somehow managing to remove one of the bars and slipping into the cell, pulling a lock-pick set out of… somewhere. "I can't believe you didn't realise he was the Prince." She muttered.

"We can't all be amazing, top-notch spies you know!"

"You were distracted by how handsome he was, and don't deny it."

"Yeah." Clint sighed happily, before shaking his head, "Don't worry though. Once we get out of here, we're never going to see him again. He's a prince who needs to marry a princess, and I know you say I'm a royal pain in the ass, but that's not the royalty they mean."

As the lock clicked open, Natasha helped him to his feet, shaking her head at the look on Clint's face.

"I'd be an idiot to try and see him again, right?"

"You're only an idiot if you give up boy."

Clint yelped, both him and Natasha moving into a defensive position as an elderly man shuffled out of the darkness. "Who are you?!"

"A lowly prisoner, like yourself. But together, perhaps we can be something more?"

Clint and Nat glanced at each other, before nodding in unison.

"We're listening."

"There is a cave, a cave of wonders that is full of treasure beyond your wildest dreams…" Here, the old man pulled out several rubies, catching Clint and Nat's attention easily, "… enough to impress the Prince I bet."

Natasha frowned, "All the gold in the world isn't going to change the law. Only royalty can marry royalty."

"With the amount of gold in that cave, you might as well be royalty."

"And why share all this wonderful gold with us?"

"I need a pair of good legs and a strong back to go into the cave and get it!"

"Right…" Clint and Nat frowned at each other, "… just one problem with this plan. It's out there, and we're in here?"

The old man chuckled, shaking his head, "Ah, ah, ah… things aren't always what they appear." Pressing his cane against the wall, a small hole appeared, with the stone bricks moving to one side, "So… do we have a deal?"

What other choice did they have but to agree?

…..

"WHO DARES DISTURB MY SLUMBER?"

Clint winced at the booming voice, "Ummm… Clint? And Nat?"

"PROCEED. TOUGH NOTHING BUT THE LAMP."

The mouth opened wide, to reveal stairs that led down to a glowing cavern.

"Remember, being me the lamp!" the old man called out behind them, "And then you'll have your reward!"

The stairs were long and winding, leading directly to a large archway. As soon as they stepped inside, Clint's eyes widened in surprise.

"Look at all this!" Clint spun in one place, eyes widening at the sight of all the gold and jewels, "Just a handful of this stuff will make us richer than the King!"

"Don't touch!" Nat scolded, "Let's just go and find that lamp."

As they made their way through the chamber of gold, they walked past a colourful rug… which then started to follow them. Getting the feeling that someone was following them, Nat spun around, frowning at the sight of the rug on the floor directly behind them.

She was sure it used to be further back.

The uneasy feeling continued as they continued down the hallway, and when Nat spun around again, the rug was curled up, leaning against a pile of gold. Pulling a knife out from her inside pocket, she flung it at the rug, smirking as it was forced to catch it with its' tassels.

"Clint." She called out to her friend, beckoning him closer, "Tons of gold… and a magic carpet."

Clint had never looked so thrilled in his life, getting to his knees. "Hey, did that mean, nasty woman throw a knife at you?"

Cautiously, the carpet made its' way over, handing the knife back to Natasha.

"See, we're all friends here." Clint beamed, "I don't suppose you know the way to a certain…. Lamp?"

The rug started to nod eagerly, gesturing for them to follow as it zipped off into the distance, with the other two following on behind.

A few minutes later, they found themselves in a much darker area of the cave, where there was a large pool of water. Several rocks led to a larger pile, illuminated by a beam of light… and that's where the lamp sat.

"I'll get it." Natasha muttered, "Stay here." She easily made her way across the rocks and headed up the stairs. When she finally made it to the top, she frowned at the sight of the dull lamp… not even gold by the looks of it. "This is what all the fuss is about?"

Meanwhile, Clint was aimlessly wandering about, not paying attention to where he was going.

"CLINT! WATCH OUT!"

It was too late.

Clint startled at the yell, jumping back, only to knock into a giant ruby. Less than a second later, the cave started to rumble.

TRAITORS! Bellowed the cave, YOU HAVE TOUCHED THE FORBIDDEN TREASURE! AND NOW, YOU WILL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN!

Everything all around them started to melt or erupt into flames.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Clint screamed, watching as the steps underneath Nat transformed into a slide, causing her to slide straight towards the lava pit down below.

Thankfully, before she could hit the boiling sludge, the rug caught her, picking Clint up as well, before speeding towards the exit. The flying carpet tried its' best as it dodged every obstacle the cave threw at it… until they were inches away from the exit. A large boulder suddenly knocked into them, sending Nat and Clint flying towards the now-stone stairs as the flying carpet was pinned underneath the boulder.

Managing to hold onto the stone stairs, with Nat clinging onto him, Clint glanced up at the old man standing above them.

"Give me the lamp!"

"She has it. You have to pull us up first! Or at least help!"

"Throw me the lamp then!"

"Not a chance." Clint shook his head, "We don't trust you!"

Glancing down, he noticed Nat glancing at something in the distance, before she smirked up at him.

She had a plan.

Trusting his friend, Clint pushed them away from the entrance, sending them flying to the lave down below as the cave's mouth slammed shut, hearing the old man's screams of despair.


	4. Chapter 4

Stick swore furiously as the sound of their heartbeats faded away, indicating that they were probably dead… and he still didn't have the lamp.

"NOOOOO!"

….

"Matthew?" King Jack knocked gently on the frame of his son's bedroom door, "Matty, is everything alright?"

Matt shook his head, pulling Foggy closer as the Labrador whimpered. Steve was standing by his side, a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

"Matthew, what's wrong?"

"Stick and Fisk… did something terrible." Matt whispered, feeling the bed dip slightly to his right, indicating that his Dad had taken a seat beside him.

"Alright…" The King sighed, "… tell me everything."

…..

"I…. love this rug." Clint muttered, as he and Nat lay on the stone, cold floor, "… I feel like I need to marry this rug, because I fucking love it."

"We're trapped."

"But we're alive! Big bonus!"

Examining the lamp, Nat frowned, "It doesn't look like much, but it must be worth something… there's a bit of writing here, maybe it's a manufacturer symbol."

"Let's see."

The lamp was tossed to him as Clint examined it a little closer, but even his eyesight couldn't decipher the writing. Deciding to give it a rub, he yelped as it started to shiver and shake, glowing bright red as fireworks shot out of it.

"What the- "

In a cloud of red smoke, a grown man was standing in front of them, dressed in a well-sitting suit, sparks dancing around his fingers.

"I'm telling you…" The man sighed, "… Ten months, ten years or however long it was, will give you such a crick in the neck!"

Clint and Nat watched as the man stretched out his arms above his head, rolling his head around on his neck.

"Alright!" The man smirked at them, "Three wishes, let's get this over and done with!"

"A genie?" Clint hissed, "I hit my head… I must have done."

"Call me Tony… and you two are?"

Before Nat could stop him, Clint answered, "I'm Clint, and this is Natash- OW!"

"Shut up."

Tony didn't seem to notice the tense display however, turning to the red and gold rug. "JARVIS! You're still here!"

The rug made a motion and Tony chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah… I know you're loyal."

"So, you're a genie and we're your masters?"

"Actually, since you're the one who rubbed the lamp, you specifically are the Master." Tony explained, "So, what d'ya want? You've got the muscles to make the Captain jealous. So, freedom from the law maybe? Sexier voice- "

"- Hey!"

"But no wishing for more wishes! Three and that's it! No substitutions, exchanges or refunds!"

"… So aside from wishing for more wishes, you'll grant any other wishes?"

"Nah, I have morals you know." Tony waved his hand in dismissal, "I don't kill people, I don't make anyone fall in love with someone else, and I don't raise the dead. It's not a pretty picture, and I don't like doing it." He shrugged, "Other than that, you've got it."

As Tony glanced around the cavern, Clint and Nat glanced at each other, identical smirks on their faces.

"Limitations on wishes." Nat shook her head, "Some all-powerful genie, hmm?"

Clint had to bite down laughter at the offended look on Tony's face.

"Can't even bring someone back from the dead." Nat sighed, "He probably can't even get us out of this cave. Looks like it's up to us Clint. Got any of your arrows."

"Does it look like I have any arrows?!"

Tony snapped. "Are you kidding me? You're the one who rubbed my lamp, woke me up and brought me here… and now you're just going to walk away? I don't think so! You're getting your three wishes, so sit down!"

JARVIS knocked into the back of their legs, forcing them to sit down as Tony joined them.

"Keep your arms and legs inside the carpet, because we're out of here!"

….

"You have crossed the line this time!" King Jack ranted, as Stick and Fisk knelt before him, "I am the King! I make the decisions on who lives and dies, not you!"

"We assure you Your Highness, it won't happen again."

King Jack stared down at the pair of them sternly, "It had better not… I will let it pass this once, but do not expect to get away with it so lightly next time." He glanced over at his son, sighing at the furious look on Matt's face, before moving to leave the room.

Matt remained silent until he was sure that his Father had left the room.

"I wouldn't feel too pleased with yourselves." He spoke up, before Fisk and Stick could sneak away, "Know this. When I am King, I will have the power to get rid of you. I suggest you tread carefully."

Before either of them could say anything, the Prince stormed away as best he could, hearing their heartbeats speed up behind him.

…..…..

Once Stick was sure the Prince was out of earshot, he cursed under his breath. "If only I'd gotten that lamp!" He hissed.

"You'll have to find another… diamond in the rough." Fisk muttered, "Maybe not a couple of thieves this time."

Stick just snarled, heading towards his private room and out onto the balcony. Once there, it was almost like a lightbulb appeared above his head.

"Maybe… you should marry the Prince." He stated, smirking as Fisk's heartbeat sped up.

"What did you say?"

"You should marry Prince Matt, and then once you're King, you can get rid of Matthew… a tragic accident, I'm sure."

"Hmmm." Fisk smirked, "The idea does have merits. I do love how your twisted mind works sometimes."

…

"Thank you for choosing JARVIS for all your travel needs. Please do not stand until the rug has come to a complete stop."

Clint and Nat rolled their eyes as they got off the rug, onto beautiful, golden sand… on an island in the middle of nowhere.

"Well…" Tony smirked, "… How about that?"

"Yeah, you sure showed us… now about those three wishes?"

"Do my ears deceive me? You are down by one!"

The pair smirked, "Actually…" Nat began, "… we never actually wished to be let out of the cave… you did that all by yourself."

Tony was clearly about to argue, until his eyes widened in realisation and he started to curse furiously. Once the tirade (which had been mostly in Italian) was finished, he pointed angrily at them, "Alright, I'll give you that… but no more freebies!"

"Fair enough." Clint shrugged, before humming in thought, "Three wishes… what would you wish for Tony?"

Tony looked a little stunned for a moment, "I… Freedom. I want to be free. I want to be back home with my husband, not… not here!"

"You weren't always a genie?"

Tony shook his head, "I was on a business trip… I went to sleep and then I woke up in that thing." He pointed at the lamp, "Phenomenal cosmic… itty bitty living space. And now Stevie probably thinks I ran off with a cocktail waitress or something."

Clint winced in sympathy, "That… that's awful."

"Yeah… hence freedom! To be my own Master again!" Tony sighed, "But let's get real, it's never going to happen. Having a genie around is just too good to be true for most people. Why give it up?"

"Well… why can't it happen?" Clint asked.

"Look, the only way I get out of this, is if my Master wishes me free… guess how often that's happened."

Clint thought to himself for a few moments, glancing over at Nat briefly, before shrugging, "I'll do it… I'll set you free."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire!"

"Honestly! The first two wishes are ours, but on the third one, we'll set you free. Cross our hearts!" Clint then nudged Natasha, silently encouraging her to nod as well.

Tony frowned at them for a few moments, before sighing wearily, "Alright… here's hoping. So, what's the first wish going to be?"

"Well… there's this man- "

"- Stop, stop, stop!" Tony held up a hand, "I don't know if you want me to kill him, or make him fall in love with you, but it isn't happening!"

"You'd understand if you saw him with that smirk, those hands, those- "

"- Alright, alright, alright!" Tony shook his head, "I know love when I hear it."

"Exactly!"

Nat rolled her eyes, "The problem is, that lover boy is the prince of Hell's Kitchen, heir to the throne. For Clint to even have a chance, he'd need to be a- " She stopped, before turning to Clint contemplatively, "- Now, that's an idea." She then turned to Tony, "Can you make him a prince?"

"Is that an official wish? Clint has to say the words."

Clint nodded, "Tony. I wish for you to make me a prince!"

"Done and done…" Tony started to circle Clint, narrowing his eyes in thought, "… first, we need to do something about these clothes… This screams 'thief'…" He paused for a moment, before he clicked his fingers and Clint found himself wearing a tight, close-fitting black shirt, black trousers, combined with a white tie.

"White, what was I thinking?!" Tony snapped his fingers again, "Purple! That's so much more your colour!"

Another click and the changes were made, with Clint turning from side to side, examining himself in the recently conjured mirror.

"Perfect…. But there's something missing." Tony thought to himself for a few moments, before snapping his fingers, "An advisor. Princes always need someone with them to organise the meetings and kingdom visits and all that… scary lady, come here."

Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"… Miss Natasha, would you please join me?"

"Better." She moved closer, as Tony snapped his fingers again, her hair lengthening out, clothes turning into a pencil skirt and smart blouse that was tucked in.

"Really?" She frowned, "Really?"

"You look like the perfect advisor!" Tony turned to Clint, "Alright, you've got the outfit, you've got the advisor, but we're no-where near done yet! You'll be the best prince ever!"


End file.
